Accessibility is something we care a lot about on the Hangouts team. The Hangout Captions app, for example, enables live transcription services for the deaf and hard of hearing (http://goo.gl/4RujF). And "Take the Floor" makes it easier for sign language speakers to do a Hangout together (http://goo.gl/chyKS). Today we're rolling out two accessibility improvements in Hangouts - a Sign Language Interpreter app, and a fuller set of keyboard shortcuts.

1) Using the Sign Language Interpreter app, deaf or hard of hearing users who prefer sign language can invite interpreters to speak and sign for them during a Hangout. They'll always see their interpreter at the top right of the window, and they'll become the focus of the Hangout whenever their interpreter speaks for them. You can install the app using this link: https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_?gid=532733437531.

2) Keyboard shortcuts are also available in Hangouts -- great for people who can't or don't want to use a mouse during the video chat. For example: muting your microphone is now as simple as Ctrl+D (PC) or Command+D (Mac), and you can start chatting with Ctrl+B (PC) or Command+B (Mac). To view the full list of keyboard shortcuts just type '?' while in a Hangout, or visit this page: support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?answer=2752487.

Both features are rolling out gradually, so let us know what you think once you've taken them for a spin!

On behalf of Google's Accessibility team, I'm excited to announce that you can now add closed captions to your videos uploaded to Google+!

Why add captions, you ask? Adding captions and subtitles makes your videos more accessible to people who can't follow along with the audio -- either because they speak a different language, or because they are deaf or hard of hearing. To get started, simply:

- Open one of your videos in the lightbox view (from the Videos tab on your profile, for instance)- Click 'Options' at the bottom-left of your screen, then choose 'Closed captions'- Click 'Add new captions or transcript' in the video details pane, then upload your file

If a video on Google+ has captions available, just click the 'CC' button to turn them on. If you'd like more details on creating and uploading captions, feel free to check out the Google+ Help Center (http://goo.gl/YCpQk).

This week we're at the 27th annual CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference. There, we'll share our progress in making online technologies accessible through tools like ChromeVox, and to discuss improvements for the future. Read our blog post to find out more about what we're doing at CSUN and our efforts to improve the accessibility of Google products: http://goo.gl/9Iyl6

If you're at the conference, we encourage you to swing by our hands-on demo sessions on Thursday, in the Connaught breakout room:*10am to 12pm—Chromebooks and new features in Google Apps*1pm to 3pm—Android 4.0 Galaxy Nexus phones﻿

Child Care at Google I/O 2013!At last year's Women Techmakers event, we asked what we could do to help encourage more women to attend events like Google I/O. I'm excited to announce that in response to that feedback, one of the new things you'll see at I/O this year is fully subsidized – yes, free to attendees – group child care at a location close to Moscone West. We'll be offering child care for all 3 days of the conference, for kids aged 6 weeks to 12 years old, as well as dedicated rooms onsite for nursing mothers.

If you're a parent, and you've been on the fence about whether to attend I/O this year because you have a young child or infant to care for, tell us you're interested by checking the box on child care needs when you register for Google I/O.